Washer



Dec. 13, 1955 HIDEO KASHIMA 2,726,528

WASHER Filed April 15, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 13, 1955 HlDEO KASHIMA 2,726,528

WASHER Filed April 15, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WASHER Hideo Kashima, Tokyo-to, Japan Application April 15, 1954, Serial No. 423,387

Claims priority, application Japan January 19, 1954 3 Claims. (Cl. 68-112) This invention relates to an improved washer.

The object of this invention is to provide a washer which is very effective in its washing action, is low in cost and has a durable driving mechanism.

According to the invention, this object has been accomplished by a construction which comprises a driving shaft, a pluralty of bushings secured to the shaft and having inclined end cam surfaces, and a plurality of agitator members in the form of disks loosely mounted on the shaft in the gaps between each pair of bushings so that a phase difference exists between each two disks; upon rotation of the driving shaft, the disks periodically undergo an axial tilting motion by reason of the movement of the inclined end cam surfaces of the bushings which rotate with the driving shaft.

In the washer having the above-described construction, the clothes in the space between every two neighboring disks will be crumpled and compressed in an advantageous manner by axial pressure, as will be more particularly understood from the following description taken in connection with the drawing of an illustrative embodiment of the invention, and the soapy water will be rapidly and thoroughly circulated through and around the clothes, so that an effective washing action is achieved without accompanying damage to clothes. Furthermore, the machine is very durable because it is free from gears or like mechanism which are susceptible to damage.

The present invention will be more easily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an axial sectional view of a washer embodying features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the washer illustrated in Fig. 1, taken along the line IIII in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the driving shaft and associated parts of the washer shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring to the drawing, a driving shaft 2 is supported in the washing tank 1 so that it may be rotated by a pulley 3 which is driven by a suitable prime mover, such as an electric motor, not shown, tank 1 being provided with an upper cover 13, an inner cover 14, a cock12 for draining liquid from tank 1, and feet 15.

Two pairs of disks 4, 4* and 5, 5' are loosely mounted on shaft 2 and held between the inclined end cam surfaces of the bushings 6 and 6', 7 and 7, 8 and 8', 9 and 9 respectively, the bushings themselves being attached rigidly on the shaft 2 by keys 2'. All the disks are held against free rotation by means of supporting rods 10 which are parallel to the shaft 2 and pass loosely through the disks, so that the disks cannot rotate around the shaft 2 in spite of their periodical axial tilting motion. Moreover, all of the disks are disposed relatively to the inclined surfaces of the bushings so that every two opposed disks will have a phase difference with respect to each other, as will be understood from Fig. 1, and the periodical tilting motions of every two neighboring disks are in opposite directions.

Therefore, the clothes in the space between the disks will be pressed in each axial direction at a periodical rate of 2,726,528 Patented Dec. .13, 1955 one time per each rotation of the driving shaft 2 which.

results in an effective crumpling and agitation of the clothes.

The operation of the washer illustrated above is as follows:

When the driving shaft 2 is driven through the pulley 3 by a suitable prime mover, such as an electric motor, not shown, at a speed of, for example, about 10 revolutions per second, then the disks 4, 4' and 5, 5' make periodical tilting motions with a period corresponding to the revolution of the shaft 2, and the clothes in the spaces between the disks will be crumpled effectively by the axial pressure exerted by the disks, and the soapy water circulates rapidly and thoroughly around the clothes, resulting in speedy completion of the washing operation.

Furthermore, the following advantages will result from the washer construction illustrated in Figs. l-3.

(1) The clothes being washed do not receive frictional and forcible rubbing, so that the clothes are not damaged at all.

(2) The soapy water is pushed in the axial direction due to the periodical tilting movements of the disks, so that the clothes are also pushed in the axial direction which results in uniform washing of the clothes.

(3) When the soapy Water is replaced by pure water after completion of the washing operation, the clothes are easily and rapidly rinsed.

Cylinders 11 which are suitably made of a material such as Celluloid, are disposed around the supporting rods 10 to protect the clothes from entanglement around the driving shaft.

The washer of this invention combines a rubbing action on the clothes with light pressure instead of employing direct rubbing as has been employed inthe washers heretofore in use, so that the washing operation becomes very advantageous Without any accompanying damage to the clothes.

Furthermore, the washer of this invention require less driving power, is simpler in construction and is lower in manufacturing cost than washers heretofore in use.

Since it is obvious that many changes and modifications can be made in the above-described details without departing from the nature and spirit of this invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiment illustrated.

I claim:

1. A washer for clothes and the like which comprises, a tank adapted to contain the washing liquid, a shaft rotatably mounted in said tank, a plurality of bushings secured on said shaft for rotation therewith, said bushings having a plurality of pairs of opposed spaced-apart cam surfaces disposed at an oblique angle with respect to the axis of said shaft, and a plurality of agitator members engaging with said oblique cam surfaces, said agitator members being held against rotation with said shaft and said bushings, whereby upon rotation of said shaft said agitator members are continuously tilted in both axial directions by continuous engagement with said surfaces.

2. A washer for clothes and the like which comprises a tank adapted to contain the washing liquid, a shaft rotatably mounted in said tank, a plurality of bushings secured on said shaft for rotation therewith, said bushings having a plurality of pairs of opposed spaced-apart cam surfaces disposed at an oblique angle with respect to the axis of said shaft, adjacent pairs of cam surfaces being out of phase with respect to each other, and a plurality of agitator members engaging with said oblique cam surfaces, said agitator members being held against rotation with said shaft and said bushings, whereby upon rotation of said shaft said agitator members are continuously tilted in both axial directions by continuous engagement with said surfaces.

3. A washer for clothes and the like which comprises a tank adapted to contain the washing liquid, a shaft rotatably mounted in said tank, a plurality of bushings secured on said shaft for rotation therewith, said bushings having .a plurality of pairs of opposed spaced-apart cam surfaces disposed at an oblique angle with respect to the axis of said shaft, adjacent pairs of cam surfaces being of opposite phase with respect to each other, and

a plurality of agitator disks engaging with said oblique surfaces, said agitator disks being held against rotation with said shaft and said bushings, whereby upon rotation of said shaft said agitator disks are continuously tilted in both axial directions by continuous engagement with said surfaces.

No references cited.

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